Amtrak’s Empire line to get $3 million safety investment

U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney recently announced that a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will go toward installing new train-control technology on Amtrak”™s Empire line that runs through Poughkeepsie.

The system is called positive train control. It uses GPS and Wi-Fi technology that can stop or slow trains remotely, according to a statement released by Maloney”™s office. The technology will also help detect malfunctions or objects on the tracks.

“Implementing positive train control on commuter rails is the single most important thing we can do to prevent accidents and save lives,” Maloney said in a statement. “This grant is a critical investment in our transportation systems that prioritizes the safety of the thousands of my neighbors, and I look forward to continue fighting for implementation of this commonsense GPS and Wi-Fi technology on all rail systems.”

The grant will fund conceptual engineering and environmental work needed in implementing the positive train control system on the Empire line from Poughkeepsie to the Albany area.

Congress passed a law mandating positive train control systems for railroads in 2008, but there have been difficulties meeting the deadline due in part to funding issues, Maloney’s office reported.